Highlights from Senate vote to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., spoke about the historic nature of the hearings -- the first time in 233 years the Senate will consider the nomination of a Black woman to the Supreme Court.

"Historic is a word often overused in this place where a lot of history is made, but today seems truly to merit it," Blumenthal began. "Certainly it is an inflection point -- an inflection pinnacle -- for our nation. The appointment of a Black woman to the United States Supreme Court -- let's be very blunt -- should have happened years ago."

"This day is a giant leap into the present for our country and the court," he added. "The appointment of a Black woman to the court will make the court look more like America. Hopefully, too, it will make the court think more like America."

Blumenthal went on to praise Jackson's experience as a public defender, saying the American justice system works best when there is good counsel on both sides. Jackson is the first nominee to the nation's highest court with a background as a public defender.

"Representation matters for the legitimacy and credibility of our judicial system," he said. "People walking into your courtroom or any other in this country look to the human being, not just to the robes."

"Your presence will ensure the court more fully and deeply understands the lives and experiences of everyday Americans," he added.

Republicans have continually used their opening statements in Jackson’s confirmation hearings to lament Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearings to the court in 2018.

Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, all brought up Kavanaugh in their opening statements, claiming Jackson will be treated with more respect.

"Judge Jackson, I can assure you that your hearing will feature none of that disgraceful behavior," Cruz said. "No one is going to inquire into your teenage dating habits. No one is going to ask you with mock severity, 'Do you like beer?'"

Cruz attempted to get ahead of the argument, he said, that rigorous questioning or a vote against Jackson’s confirmation means "you must somehow harbor racial animus" and went on to list instances when Democrats blocked nominations of racial minorities to judicial posts.

A theme emerging for Democrats, meanwhile, has been to preempt attacks from Republicans that Jackson is "soft on crime" with several of them speaking about her ties to law enforcement.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., ticked through Judge Jackson's qualifications to the high court in her opening statement but first, she took a moment to compliment her "bold purple" blazer and turned to Jackson's family values.

"If Senator Whitehouse is pleased that you once clerked for a Rhode Island judge, we, in Minnesota, are equally happy that you are wearing bold purple today, winning over both Prince and Minnesota Vikings fans the world over," she joked.

Klobuchar also welcomed Jackson's husband, Patrick, two daughters, Talia and Lelia, and parents, Johnny and Ellery Brown, all seated inside the hearing room, and told Jackson it was clear, "your family has been a constant source of inspiration and support for you."

"While these hearings are truly an opportunity for my colleagues have pointed out for Americans to get to know your legal acumen, we also learned about your background, your experiences, your values, and for so many of us, including people watching this hearing across the country, our values start with our family," she said.

As many senators had before her, Klobuchar also acknowledged the historic nature of Jackson's nomination.

"You, judge, are opening a door that's long been shut to so many and by virtue of your strong presence, your skills, your experience, you are showing so many little girls and little boys across the country that anything and everything is possible," she said.

Klobuchar also noted the historic timing of the hearings -- "at a moment in our history when the people of this country are once again seeing, this time in Ukraine, that democracy can never be taken for granted. Eternal vigilance, it's been said, is the price of liberty."

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, echoing Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., also raised a red flag at the support Judge Jackson has gotten from progressive advocacy groups like Demand Justice, saying he is "troubled" that the same group that supports so-called "court-packing" or expanding the Supreme Court.

He said that he's concerned that she hasn't clarified her position on the matter. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has raised a similar objection.

Cornyn also warned Jackson that he, like Graham, intended to drill down on Jackson's role defending Guantanamo Bay detainees both as a federal public defender and in private practice.

"This is not your first rodeo," he said. "You've had an impressive record as a trial court judge and appellate court. I like the fact you have such broad experience in our judicial and legal system but there's still unanswered questions that remain."

"As someone who has deep respect for the adversarial system of justice, I understand the importance of zealous advocacy, but it appears that sometimes this zealous advocacy has gone beyond the pale, and in some instances, it appears that your advocacy has bled over into your decision-making process as a judge," he added.

He immediately noted that Jackson has been overturned in some high-profile cases.

"You've had some cases reversed, like all judges do, but some of them were particularly high profile when you ruled against a Republican administration," he said. "I'm eager to understand why in some instances, you found you could not decide a particular issue while in other instances, you adjoined a Republican administration from implementing its policies."

-ABC News' Trish Turner